Apparatus for discharging from a silo

Abstract

Apparatus for unloading from the bottom of a silo having a conventional horizontal floor with a central opening characterized by apparatus extending from the pit radially outwardly for removal of the material and at least one radial sweep auger having its interior end within the pit with its outer adapted for powered rotational movement, the auger having a tapered central shaft that is larger adjacent its exterior end than adjacent its interior end such that the flights of auger blade may be uniformly spaced and pick up material along its full length, since each will handle progressively greater quantities of material near the center, for uniform withdrawal from storage. Also disclosed are the details of specific drive means, track clearing means and other equipment in a preferred embodiment.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A silo and unloader combination comprising: a. a silo having a substantially horizontal floor with a central opening therewithin and having a cylindrical wall extending above said floor and connected therewith;   b. a pit at said central opening for receiving silage and the like from within said silo responsive to a radial sweep auger moving said silage toward said central opening;   c. removal means extending from said pit radially outwardly exteriorly of the cylindrical wall of said silo;   d. at least one radial sweep auger having its interior end adjacent said pit and having its interior end adapted for connection with a rotation means for effecting rotation about the longitudinal axis of said auger; said auger having its exterior end near said cylindrical wall of said silo; said radial auger having a tapered central shaft that is larger adjacent its exterior end than adjacent its interior end and having substantially uniformly spaced flights of auger blades extending rotationally and peripherally exteriorly of said shaft for drawing in respectively increasing amounts of silage and the like along the interiorly spaced flights as compared with the exteriorly spaced flights for preventing bridging of the silage and keeping it flowing into the front of said auger for being moved toward the central opening;   e. rotation means disposed in said pit and connected with said at least one auger and operationally effecting rotation thereof;   f. housing means disposed over said rotation means for protecting said rotation means;   g. track means disposed peripherally about the floor of said silo and adjacent said cylindrical wall;   h. advancing means connected with the exterior end of said at least one auger and engaging said track means; said advancing means including support means supporting a free end of said auger and including a toothed drive means for engaging said track means;   i. torque inducing means for utilizing differential rotational speed between the toothed drive means of said advancing means and the shaft of the auger to generate a torque to cause the auger to move into the silage; said torque inducing means for utilizing differential rotational speed between said toothed drive means of said advancing means and said shaft of said auger comprising a hydraulic reservoir and hydraulic motor means with an output shaft and with its casing connected with said shaft of said auger so as to spin at the same speed as said shaft; said toothed drive means for engaging said track means comprising a sprocket gear that is connected via gear reducer with the output shaft of said hydraulic motor means such that substantially constant torque is developed to force said auger to advance into said silage and the like; and   j. a track clearing means on the exterior end of said auger for displacing material from said track means into the path of said radial auger and off said track means.